Report: Washington Redskins Shopping Running Back Matt Jones
By Ian Cummings
The Redskins’ coaches have said little on the role of Matt Jones in the future this offseason. Now, it appears we have a reason for this.
It appears that Matt Jones might be on his way out of the Redskins’ dog house. But don’t expect him to suit up for the Redskins next season.
The Redskins are reportedly open to trading the former third-round pick out of Florida, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The news came out just this morning, although it comes with little surprise.
Jones showed glimpses of promise in the Redskins 2015 campaign, but issues with ball security and inconsistent play have since relegated him to the bench. With the potential shown by running backs Robert Kelley, Mack Brown, and Chris Thompson, Jones has become nothing more than an afterthought.
The fact that Jones showed promise goes without question. And he has the combination of size and speed to draw interest. But his issues are rather prevalent, and it’s unknown what value the Redskins expect to get from trading the former Gator.
Whatever happens, however, expect little turmoil. It appeared Jones was on his way out anyway, and the team is also expected to add another running back in the draft, either on Day 2 or Day 3. Dalvin Cook and Alvin Kamara remain available at round two, and there are many other options in the later rounds.
The Redskins picked Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen with their first-round pick on Thursday night. Now that they’ve unexpectedly added a blue-chip player on defense, be ready for the team to turn their focus to offense sometime soon.
Next: Grading the Redskins Selection of Jonathan Allen
More specifically, look for them to choose a running back. Whoever they pick, hopefully he can provide the consistent impact that Matt Jones couldn’t.